Last year, Will Craig led all Pirates minor leaguers with 20 home runs during the season. Based on the early results from the 2019 season, that total will be passed by the middle of the year.
It certainly seems on the surface that power is up in the minor leagues this year. The Pirates embraced new technology and hitting philosophies in the majors, which already looks to be working for Josh Bell. They’ve carried the same approach to the minors, and the early results look strong.
As of today, the system leaders in home runs are Dylan Busby and Rodolfo Castro with ten each. Will Craig (9), Mason Martin (8), and Hunter Owen (7) round out the list. Last year there were 12 players in the system who hit double-digit home runs by the end of the year. There are already seven players in the system who are either there, or half way there.
Home runs aren’t the only way to judge power. The system ISO is currently .157, when it was .120 last year. Now those yearly totals include the short-season teams, which include some of the most pitcher friendly leagues in the minors, so it’s hard to get a direct comparison.
We can get a more direct comparison by looking at the players in the system this year versus last year. Of the players currently in the system, the leader in home runs for April 2018 had a total of four homers. That home run total would be in a tie for the 8th-10th ranked total so far this year.
Even some of the direct comparisons show an increase. Will Craig had three homers by the end of April in Altoona. He currently has nine in Indianapolis. Calvin Mitchell had three in West Virginia, and now has five in a very pitcher friendly Florida State League. Rodolfo Castro, pictured above, had one in 87 plate appearances last April, and now has 10 in 108 plate appearances in the same league at the age of 20. Mason Martin also went from four homers to eight homers while repeating the level.
All of these are good signs that the changes are starting to take hold in the minors. The Pirates have been in the bottom half in offense, and in power, the last few years. That will only change with a systematic adjustment which would also include the minor league players, giving them a better approach to carry over to the majors. We should get our first chance to see how this translates over to the majors with guys like Bryan Reynolds, Cole Tucker, and other players who arrive to the majors throughout the 2019 season. And we’ll get a chance to see how the minor league totals compare as the season goes on, with the chance of seeing continued power increases like we’ve already seen in April.
TODAY’S SCHEDULE
Today’s Starter and Notes: The Pittsburgh Pirates were off yesterday. They now take on the Texas Rangers, who come in for a quick two-game set. Steven Brault will get his first start of the season today. He has made four relief appearances this year, pitching just 8.2 total innings all season. Brault has thrown just four innings since an appearance on April 8th. The Rangers are scheduled to send out Adrian Sampson, the former Pirates prospect, who threw 5.2 shutout innings against the Pirates on April 30th. He has a 3.58 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP in 27.2 innings this season.
The minor league schedule includes Domingo Robles going for Bradenton. He has given up 11 earned runs over 18 innings in his three worst starts. In his other three starts, including his last outing, he has thrown 19 innings without an earned run. Indianapolis will send out Rookie Davis, who gave up eight runs on 12 hits over five innings in his last start. Greensboro has off today. Pedro Vasquez will get the start for Altoona. He allowed one run over five innings in his last start, which happened to be his third straight start against Richmond.
The full 2019 Pirates Prospects Prospect Guide is now available, up to date as of April 3rd, with every player in the minor league system. Includes full reports on the top 50 prospects, reports on over 150 other players, as well as looks back at the recent drafts and international signing classes.
MLB: Pittsburgh (16-15) vs Rangers (16-16) 7:05 PM
Probable starter: Steven Brault (8.31 ERA, 11:4 SO/BB, 8.2 IP)
AAA: Indianapolis (15-14) @ Scranton/WB (15-12) 6:35 PM (season preview)
Probable starter: Rookie Davis (7.13 ERA, 19:11 SO/BB, 24.0 IP)
AA: Altoona (15-15) vs Bowie (8-23) 6:00 PM (season preview)
Probable starter: Pedro Vasquez (2.67 ERA, 19:5 SO/BB, 27.0 IP)
High-A: Bradenton (19-11) @ Clearwater (12-18) 7:00 PM (season preview)
Probable starter: Domingo Robles (2.68 ERA, 28:10 SO/BB, 37.0 IP)
Low-A: Greensboro (20-10) @ Delmarva (24-4) 7:05 PM 5/8 (season preview)
Probable starter: Steven Jennings (6.75 ERA, 27:9 SO/BB, 26.2 IP)
HIGHLIGHTS
From Indianapolis, where Jake Elmore is having a big season at the plate. Add in his defensive versatility and he’s a valuable player on the team. Here’s a nice defensive play
Jake Elmore has three hits and just made this fine defensive play.
Again, don't worry about the score. pic.twitter.com/9HdS7JXmw0
— Indianapolis Indians (@indyindians) May 5, 2019
Bralin Jackson was one of the top hitters in the system last week. Here’s one of the reasons he made our top performers (The 21) article.
We've been busy. @axxtionjaxxn completes a seven-run third with a ground-rule double.
Curve 8, Richmond 0 pic.twitter.com/EaGLW3OpvN
— Altoona Curve (@AltoonaCurve) May 4, 2019
Finally, here’s a home run from Dylan Busby, with some stats behind it in the video
Dylan Busby (@dylanbusby28 ) tied us up at 4 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning last night before the walk-off winner! Check it out with our Home Run Rewind! pic.twitter.com/S5Zw0sRWRi
— Bradenton Marauders (@The_Marauders) May 5, 2019
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
5/6: Pirates sign Sean Brady and assign him to Altoona.
5/6: Jacob Brentz promoted to Indianapolis.
5/4: Jameson Taillon placed on injured list. Kevin Newman activated from injured list.
5/4: Pablo Reyes optioned to Indianapolis. Tyler Lyons added to Pirates.
5/4: JB Shuck designated for assignment. Pirates recall Dovydas Neverauskas.
5/4: Sean Keselica promoted to Indianapolis. Alfredo Reyes assigned to Altoona.
5/4: Blake Cederlind promoted to Altoona. Ryan Peurifoy assigned to Extended Spring Training
5/4: Nick Mears and Shea Murray promoted to Bradenton. Yerry De Los Santos and John O’Reilly added to Greensboro roster.
5/4: Drew Fischer placed on 7-day injured list.
5/3: Randolph Gassaway added to Bradenton roster. Michael Gretler assigned to Greensboro.
5/1: Connor Kaiser placed on injured list. Kyle Mottice added to Greensboro roster.
4/30: Starling Marte activated from injured list. Jason Martin optioned to Indianapolis.
4/30: Chase Lambert promoted to Bradenton. Raul Siri added to Greensboro roster. John Bormann assigned to Extended Spring Training.
4/30: Pirates release Ben Bengtson
4/30: Jose Osuna assigned to Indianapolis on rehab.
4/28: Oneil Cruz placed on injured list. Deon Stafford activated from injured list.
4/28: JT Brubaker placed on injured list. Dario Agrazal promoted to Indianapolis. Angel German added to Altoona roster.
THIS DATE IN PIRATES HISTORY
Two former Pittsburgh Pirates players born on this date, two trades of note and one historic play from 1925. The players born on May 7th are Mark Smith, outfielder for the 1997-98 Pirates, and Dave Barbee, who played left field for the team in 1932. There are mini bios for them in the link just above.
The first trade of note has a major player involved, Hall of Fame center fielder Lloyd Waner. He was dealt to the Boston Braves in 1941 for pitcher Nick Strincevich. Waner was on the downside on his career and eventually returned to the Pirates in 1944 for his last two seasons. Strincevich started off really slow in Pittsburgh, but by the time Waner returned, he was a different pitcher. Over the 1944-46 seasons, he won 40 games and pitched over 600 innings, making the deal a win for the Pirates. During that 1941 season, Waner went to the plate 234 times without striking out….yes, you read that right.
Also traded on this date in 1962 was pitcher Wilmer “Vinegar Bend” Mizell, who was sent to the expansion New York Mets in exchange for first baseman Jim Marshall. Mizell had 90 career wins and Marshall was hitting .344 at the time of the deal, but by the end of the season, both saw their Major League careers end.
On this date in 1925, shortstop Glenn Wright turned the sixth unassisted triple play in Major League history. It came in the ninth inning of a 10-9 loss to the Cardinals at Forbes Field. Wright caught a liner, stepped on second base and then tagged the runner coming from first. The batter was Hall of Fame first baseman Jim Bottomley and the runner on first base was Hall of Fame second baseman Rogers Hornsby. The runner on second base was Jimmy Cooney, who happened to be the next player to turn an unassisted triple play, which he did two years later against the Pirates.
